Cropped camisole

ABSTRACT

A cropped camisole is provided. The cropped camisole has a body defining an opening configured to fit a portion of the torso of a woman. The camisole also has a top circumferential seam and a bottom circumferential seam, where at least one of the top and bottom seams is configured to lay flat during wear and not roll. The cropped camisole also has at least one strap that has two attachment points on the front face of the body of the camisole.

CONTINUITY DATA

This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/649,320 filed on May 20, 2012, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to women's garments. More particularly, the invention pertains to a cropped camisole.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In modern usage a camisole or cami is a loose-fitting sleeveless woman's undergarment which covers the top part of the body but is shorter than a chemise. A camisole normally extends to the waist but is sometimes cropped to expose the midriff, or extended to cover the entire pelvic region. Camisoles are manufactured from light materials, commonly cotton-based, occasionally satin or silk, or stretch fabrics such as Lycra, Nylon, or Spandex.

A camisole typically has thin “spaghetti straps” and can be worn over a brassiere or without one. Since 1989, some camisoles have come with a built-in underwire bra or other support which eliminates the need for a bra among those who prefer one. Recently, camisoles have been known to be used as outerwear.

A variety of sleeveless body shaping undergarments has been derived from the camisole shape, offering medium control of the bust, waist and/or abdomen. Such control camisoles are the most casual of shaping garments, covering the torso from above the chest to at or below the waist. They look similar to tight-fitting cotton or silk camisoles, but the straps are usually wider, the hems longer, and the stretchy, shiny fabric provides a smoothing touch. It remains desirable in the art to provide a cropped camisole that lays flat like a sports bra, but has the look and feel of a camisole.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, this invention, in one aspect, relates to a cropped camisole, comprising a body defining an opening configured to fit a portion of the torso of a woman. The camisole comprising a top circumferential seam and a bottom circumferential seam. At least one of the top and bottom seams is configured to lay flat during wear and not roll. In another aspect, both seams are configured to lay flat during wear and not roll.

The cropped camisole comprises at least one strap that has two attachment points on the front face of the body of the camisole. In this aspect, the wearer would position the at least one strap around the wearer's neck to support the cropped camisole and resist it from falling. In another aspect, the cropped camisole comprises two straps each with a proximal attachment point on the front face of the body of the camisole and a distal attachment point on the rear face of the body of the camisole.

Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the inside portion of the rear of one aspect of a cropped camisole;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the inside portion of the front of the cropped camisole of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one aspect of the cropped camisole of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exemplified perspective view of one aspect of a double cover stitch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, examples, figures, and their previous and following description.

Before the present system, devices, and/or methods are disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific systems, devices, and/or methods disclosed unless otherwise specified, as such can, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a “screw” includes aspects having two or more screws unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” one particular value, and/or to “about” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. It will be further understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant both in relation to the other endpoint, and independently of the other endpoint.

In this specification and in the claims which follow, reference will be made to a number of terms which shall be defined to have the following meanings:

As used herein, the terms “optional” or “optionally” mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may or may not occur, and that the description includes instances where said event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

In one aspect, presented herein is a cropped camisole 10 comprising a body 100 defining an opening 110 configured to fit a portion of the torso of a woman. The camisole 10 comprising a top circumferential seam 120 and a bottom circumferential seam 130. The body 100 of the camisole comprises a comfortable fabric, such as but not limited to cotton, Lycra, silk, or satin. The body of the camisole is configured to cover the breasts and at least part of the midsection of the wearer.

In another aspect, at least one of the top and bottom seams is configured to lay flat during wear and not roll. In another aspect, both seams are configured to lay flat during wear and not roll. To achieve this, the seam 120 comprises a double stretch cover stitch 160, as shown in FIG. 4. A double coverstitch is a double needle stitching, where the he top side of the garment looks like parallel rows 170 of straight stitching and the underside of the garment looks like serger loops 180 which cover the turned down raw edge. Sometimes the “wrong” or loopy side is sewn on top as a design feature, especially in active wear. A stretch cover stitch is accomplished by using an elastic fabric, stretching it to substantially maximum point, and applying a cover stitch.

In another aspect, the seams can comprise a second fabric 190 overlayed on top of the body of the camisole. The second fabric can comprise an elastomeric substance to enable stretching. For example, and not meant to be limiting, the second fabric can comprise stretch lace.

In yet another aspect, the cropped camisole comprises at least one strap 200 that has two attachment points 210 on the front face 140 of the body of the camisole. In this aspect, the wearer would position the at least one strap around the wearer's neck to support the cropped camisole and resist it from falling. In another aspect, the cropped camisole comprises two straps each with a proximal attachment point on the front face of the body of the camisole and a distal attachment point on the rear face 150 of the body of the camisole. In this aspect, the two straps can be configured for a straight of the shoulder support style, or a crisscross over the shoulder support style, as is commonly worn in various undergarments.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cropped camisole, comprising: a fabric body having a front face and a rear face and defining an opening configured to fit a portion of the torso of a woman; a top circumferential seam and a bottom circumferential seam, wherein at least one of the top and bottom circumferential seams is configured to lay flat during wear and not roll.
 2. The cropped camisole of claim 1, wherein the top circumferential seam comprises a double stretch cover stitch.
 3. The cropped camisole of claim 1, wherein the bottom circumferential seam comprises a double stretch cover stitch.
 4. The cropped camisole of claim 2, further comprising a second fabric at least partially overlying the body of the camisole.
 5. The cropped camisole of claim 4, wherein the second fabric comprises stretch lace.
 6. The cropped camisole of claim 4, further comprising at least one strap having at least two attachment points on the front face of the body of the camisole
 7. The cropped camisole of claim 4, comprising two straps each with a proximal attachment point on the front face of the body of the camisole and a distal attachment point on the rear face of the body of the camisole. 